The Transformation Of Vanessa Ray From Childhood To Blue Bloods - Looper (2024)

Television

The Transformation Of Vanessa Ray From Childhood To Blue Bloods - Looper (1)

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ByBrandon Rowe

Whether you know her from "Blue Bloods," "Damages," "Pretty Little Liars," or something else, odds are you've probably seen actress Vanessa Ray at some point in your TV-watching lifetime. The young actress has appeared in a plethora of on-screen roles since she started in the business nearly 20 years ago.

According to a 2010 interview with Broadway Buzz, Ray was born in Livermore, California, but raised throughout Oregon and Washington. Though she didn't appear on screen for the first time until the age of 22, Ray came to the world of show business through theater. Speaking on her experience in the interview, Ray revealed that she got the itch for acting when she was only five years old after watching her older brother audition for a role in a production of the musical, "Oliver!"

For Ray, there was no turning back. After high school, she appeared in live productions of "Footloose" and "Finding Nemo: The Musical," and in 2009, Ray made her Broadway debut in "Hair," in which she played the role of Crissy (via Broadway World). While Ray enjoyed a successful theater career, she is much better known today for her TV roles.

Vanessa Ray's first on-screen appearance was in The Sparky Chronicles: The Map

Vanessa Ray made her first on-screen appearance in a 2003 comedic video short titled "The Sparky Chronicles: The Map."She portrays the character Chris Matthews, a young woman whose wiener dog, Sparky, is stolen prior to the events of the film. The short was shot in a pseudo-documentary style that records the trials and tribulations of "Team Sparky," a group of friends who get together in the aftermath of the canine's dognapping.

The team's chosen (and largely bungled) mission is to rescue the dog and return it to its rightful home. Throughout the short, their bumbling ineptitudes continually halt their ability to succeed in the task at hand. Though the team is ultimately unsuccessful in rescuing the dog at the center of the story, they learn valuable lessons in friendship along the way. Ray appears in the Dan Rutledge-directed short alongside David A. R. White and her first husband, Derek Baynham (via IMDb). The 28-minute short is available for viewing on Vision Video's YouTube channel.

As the World Turns gave Ray her first series regular role

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CBS

Like most actors, Vanessa Ray didn't jump straight into series regular roles. Her first television appearance was in three episodes of the 2008 musical comedy series "The Battery's Down," in which she plays a character also named Vanessa. In 2009, she also acted in a single episode of the Jason Schwartzman-led HBO comedy series "Bored to Death" (via IMDb). However, she wouldn't get her first regular television role until her next project.

In the same year as her appearance in "Bored to Death," Ray was cast in one of the longest continuously running soap operas of all time, "As The World Turns." In the famous daytime soap opera, Ray plays the role of Teri Ciccone. In a short video filmed in character as a way to introduce herself to the audience, Ciccone says, "Cooking is my passion which is why I went to culinary school to be a chef." She also talks about how her love of cooking led her to reunite with her estranged sister (via YouTube).

The actress played an important role as Jenny Griffith in Suits

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USA Network

After Vanessa Ray's role on "As The World Turns," she joined the cast of "Damages" in a recurring role that lasted for a total of seven episodes, playing a character named Tessa Marchetti. She next appeared in USA Network's "White Collar" and in Showtime's "Nurse Jackie" for single-episode roles.

Then in 2011, Ray took on a recurring role in the USA Network's legal drama "Suits." Fans of "Suits" will remember that former fraudulent lawyer and Pearson Hardman associate Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adams) finishes the series married to former Pearson Hardman paralegal Rachel Zane (Meghan Markle). However, before the two tie the knot, Mike has a short-term relationship with Jenny Griffith, a character portrayed by Ray. When Griffith makes her first appearance in the series, she and Mike are platonic friends, as she is the girlfriend of Mike's roommate, Trevor.

Throughout the first season, however, things between Trevor and Jenny sour, and shortly thereafter, Mike and Jenny become an item. Ultimately, Trevor's jealousy about Mike and Jenny's relationship leads him to out Mike's fraudulent practice as an attorney to his boss, Jessica Pearson (Gina Torres). Ray doesn't appear on the series after Season 2, Episode 8, but her character certainly has a major impact on the course of the series' eight seasons.

Vanessa Ray recurred as CeCe Drake in Pretty Little Liars

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Freeform

One of Ray's best known parts prior to joining the cast of "Blue Bloods" is her recurring role on Freeform's "Pretty Little Liars."When she first appears on the teen drama series, Ray's characteris introduced as CeCe Drake, but this name is later revealed to be an alias for Charlotte DiLaurentis. However, neither of these names are the one that most "Pretty Little Liars" fans are likely to associate with Ray.

Even those who have never watched the series are probably vaguely familiar with its mysteriously nefarious antagonist, usually referred to by only the single letter alias of "A." The character's popularity led the writers of the series to periodically reincarnate the role with different characters adopting the mononym. Ray's character becomes known as "Big A," the leader of the so-called "A-Team," a group of people responsible for a litany of crimes.

Ray appears in a total of seven episodes during Season 3 of "Pretty Little Liars," but her character is used more sparingly in each subsequent season, only appearing in two to four episodes from then on. This gave Ray more time for additional guest spots in these years, as she features in the spinoff web series of "Pretty Little Liars" called "Pretty Little Secrets," as well as HBO's "Girls," and CBS's "The Mentalist."

Her longest-running series regular role is in Blue Bloods

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CBS

Vanessa Ray has starred in more than 160 episodes of the long-running CBS series "Blue Bloods." Ray makes her first appearance on the police procedural in the role of New York City police officer Edit "Eddie" Janko in Season 4, Episode 1, an episode titled "Unwritten Rules." In her first scene in the series, she meets her future husband, fellow NYC police officer Jamie Reagan (Will Estes).

When Eddie tells him that she is his new partner on patrol, Jamie is taken aback, admitting that he expected a "fat, sweaty, Hungarian guy." Jamie is also shocked to discover that his newest partner is a rookie, having just graduated from the police academy a week earlier. While nothing is outwardly said between the two of them, there is an immediate and obvious attraction between Eddie and Jamie.

However, it takes a whole three seasons for the two to admit their feelings to each other, with Eddie initiating the admission and Jamie responding with a kiss in Season 7, Episode 8. By the end of Season 8, the two are engaged and they wed in the Season 9 finale. In recent Season 12 episodes, Eddie has been studying for the sergeant's exam in order to join her husband in a more elevated position at the NYPD.

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The Transformation Of Vanessa Ray From Childhood To Blue Bloods - Looper (2024)

FAQs

Are Rachel Ray and Vanessa Ray related? ›

born December 28...has two brothers, Robert and Kevin, and one sister, Vanessa...

Did Vanessa Ray have a baby? ›

Blue Bloods star Vanessa Ray and her husband Landon Beard are now the proud parents of a baby boy. The 42-year-old actress, who plays Eddie Reagan, revealed that she and her husband welcomed their son via adoption in November 2023.

How long was Vanessa Ray on Blue Bloods? ›

Between 2012 and 2017, Ray appeared as CeCe Drake in the television series Pretty Little Liars. In 2013, Ray joined the Season 4 cast of the CBS police procedural drama Blue Bloods as Officer Edit "Eddie" Janko, a role she has continued throughout the show's run.

What nationality is Vanessa Ray? ›

Vanessa Ray Liptak (born June 24, 1981) is an American actress. She is known for her roles on Pretty Little Liars as Charlotte Drake, on legal drama Suits as Jenny, on soap opera As the World Turns as Teri Ciccone, and on police drama Blue Bloods as Officer Edit "Eddie" Janko-Reagan. Livermore, California, U.S.

What happened to Jamie's wife on Blue Bloods? ›

She was an integral part of the Blue Bloods cast since the first season and became a series regular in the second. Because of her longevity in the series, the revelation that her character had died in a helicopter accident was surprising, to say the least.

Who did Vanessa get pregnant by? ›

Related: Pregnant Vanessa Hudgens' Baby Bump Album

Vanessa Hudgens has enjoyed showing off her baby bump since she announced she's expecting her first baby with husband Cole Tucker. Hudgens revealed at the 2024 Oscars that she is expanding her family with Tucker.

Who was Vanessa pregnant with? ›

She made the big reveal at the Oscars

This week, the 35-year-old actress and her husband Cole Tucker were spotted together for the first time since she announced her pregnancy at the Oscars.

How old was Vanessa when she had her first child? ›

On Wednesday, the 35-year-old High School Musical alum celebrated her husband's 28th birthday and gave him a gift unlike any other -- a new baby! TMZ was the first to report the singer and actress had welcomed her first child, although details on the baby's birthday and sex are unknown at this time.

How does Donnie Wahlberg feel about Blue Bloods ending? ›

He writes, "I've taken this walk thousands of times in 14 years and it was a teary final walk from the Blue Bloods dinner scene, last week. More so than I could have ever imagined. Of course some sad tears — but mostly tears of immense humility. It's been a wonderful adventure."

Who is the oldest Reagan on Blue Bloods? ›

Detective First Grade Daniel Fitzgerald Reagan is the eldest surviving son of Commissioner Frank Reagan. He is portrayed by New Kids on the Block singer Donnie Wahlberg.

Is Eddie on Blue Bloods married in real life? ›

Vanessa Ray, whose character Eddie Janko is a part of one of the best Blue Bloods couples with Jamie Reagan, is in her own loving relationship in real life. Ray married husband Landon Beard in 2015, the couple adopting their son, Isaac, in November 2023. “We're just so focused on him right now,” Ray explained.

How much does Vanessa Ray make per episode on Blue Bloods? ›

Earlier Estimates: Some sources initially reported a salary of around $60,000 per episode for Vanessa Ray in the early seasons of Blue Bloods. Current Estimates: However, recent reports and industry projections suggest a significant increase, with her salary now estimated to be around $100,000 to $150,000 per episode.

Is Vanessa Hispanic? ›

While Gabriella is called "mija" and spoken to by her mother in Spanish in High School Musical, Vanessa's actual mom is from the Philippines. In a 2013 interview on Chelsea Lately, when asked outright if she was "Latina," Vanessa replied, "I mean kind of, a little bit."

Who are Rachael Ray's sisters? ›

Who is Vanessa in Suits? ›

Suits (TV Series 2011–2019) - Julie Ann Emery as Vanessa - IMDb.

Why did Vanessa Ray leave Suits? ›

While the actor never spoke about why she decided to leave, it seemed like her narrative had come to an end. After she left the series, Mike and Rachel's storyline progressed as the pair eventually got married. Both of them left the show at the end of season seven to head to Seattle to start a new company.

How many kids does Rachel Ray have? ›

Rachael Ray and her husband, John Cusimano, do not have any children of their own. Despite not having biological children, Rachael and John lead a fulfilling life together and are devoted pet parents to their beloved pit bull, Isaboo.

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